Squalene and botryococcene are related by their putative biosynthetic origins from the condensation of two farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) molecules, and are known to be synthesized byrace B, a fresh water green algae (Okada. et al., (1995). Journal Of Applied Phycology 555-559; Metzger and Largeau (2005). Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology 486-496.) Botryococcene is further modified in and becomes methylated with 1, 2, 3 or 4 additional methyl substituents catalyzed by a special triterpene methyl transferase. Botryococene and its methylated derivatives have attracted significant attention because these molecules are thought to be the progenitors to current oil shale deposits (Summons et al., (2002) Organic Geochemistry 99-109; Walters et al., (2005) Aapg Bulletin 1239-1 244.) and because they are considered promising renewable, alternative biofuels (Banerjee et al., (2002). Critical Reviews in Biotechnology 245-279.) For example, Hillen et al. (1982) Biotechnology And Bioengineering 193-205) previously reported on the catalytic cracking of methylated botryococcenes and squalene derivatives, and observed an overall conversion of 97% of the oil to combustible fuels under standard cracking conditions. Overall, 67% of the oil was converted to gasoline grade fuel, 15% to aviation turbine fuel, and 15% to diesel fuel with a residual of only 3%. Hence, catalytic hydrolysis (as performed in standard petroleum refineries) of these highly branched, poly-unsaturated triterpenes results in the generation of hydrocarbon fractions that are chemically equivalent to those derived from current petroleum deposits and are of direct utility as fuels for internal combustion engines, as well as feedstocks for chemical manufacturing (Banerjee et al., (2002)).
Up to this time, these energy-rich triterpene oils have only been available from cultures of a rather slow growing green algae that does not lend itself to large-scale or fermentation type culturing conditions (Casadevall et al., (1985). Biotechnology and Bioengineering 286-295).